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Union could wait until June for Tribunal’s ruling

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By The Drum Team, Editorial

November 8, 2002 | 2 min read

The Union has defended claims of unfair dismissal and bullying made at an Industrial Tribunal hearing by former employee Eve Hammerson last week, however agency bosses could be made to wait until June 2003 before an official ruling is made.

Hammerson and The Union’s MD Ian McAteer appeared at the Tribunal last week where Hammerson alleged she had been bullied and was also unfairly dismissed from her £20,000 a year job by the agency.

It is understood that after redundancies had been announced Hammerson told the agency she was pregnant, and she alleged that this was a factor in her dismissal.

However she is not bringing a claim for sex discrimination against the agency.

The Union strenuously denied that Hammerson had been the subject of a bullying campaign and that she had been made redundant because she was pregnant.

McAteer has to return to the tribunal in December to continue giving his evidence, however the case will not close until March. Then it could take a further two or three months for a ruling to be made.

Mark Reid, a director of The Union not involved in the proceedings, said: “In cases like these companies often settle out of court to avoid publicity. However we conducted the redundancy programme exactly as we were advised by our lawyers and we are confident the Tribunal will find in our favour. Ultimately it’s a matter of principle.”

Tabloid coverage of the trial has highlighted much of the evidence given by Hammerson against The Union, though not much coverage of The Union’s defence has been published. In fact, when McAteer was giving his evidence no reporters were present at the Tribunal.

Some reports claim McAteer told Hammerson to ‘toughen up’ whilst she was pregnant, contrary to the evidence presented by Hammerson herself, who stated that she told McAteer she was pregnant some time afterwards. Hammerson also did not allege that McAteer had bullied her, as has been implied by some reports. The case continues.

NOTE: The Employment Tribunal ultimately found that the allegations bought by Ms Hammerson against The Union were unfounded and no action was taken against the agency.

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